Volcano erupts in PNG

Page Tools

A volcano has erupted in northern Papua New Guinea, raising
concerns for the safety of thousands of villagers.

Mount Iabu on the northern PNG island of Manam started throwing
up lava and ash over the weekend, prompting authorities to advise
nearly 3000 villagers to move to safer parts of the island,
authorities said today.

A spokesman for the National Disaster Management Office said
there had been no reports of casualties but the island remained on
a state of high alert with fears of further eruptions in the coming
days.

He said the eruption had sent thick clouds of smoke 6000 metres
into the air and lava flowing into the surrounding sea.

"We are assisting the people on Manam Island to move to safer
parts of the island where they can receive shelter and food," he
said.

Mount Iabu is situated about 100km from the resort town of
Madang in the country's north-west.

Former Madang provincial administrator Galung Kassass said
nearly 3000 people lived under the shadow of Mount Iabu, which last
erupted in 1997.

He said residents of four villages in the area had been moved to
safer ground while authorities continued to assess the
situation.

Inter-Government Relations Minister Sir Peter Barter said the
amount of ash and rock in the atmosphere had prevented authorities
from conducting a comprehensive survey of the area.

Barter said a one-kilometre-wide section of the mountain had
blown out, forcing lava to flow to the sea around the island.

The volcano was still discharging lava into the sea between
Warisi and Dugulava villages, he said.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare flew to the area this
afternoon to assess the impact of the eruption and was expected to
make an announcement later in the day.